Gay Gilbert

Administrator, Office of Unemployment Insurance, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor

Gay joined the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA) in November 2000 and currently serves as the Administrator of the Office of Unemployment Insurance overseeing the nation's federal-state Unemployment Insurance program.

Previously, Gay served as the Administrator for the Office of Workforce Investment in ETA providing federal oversight and leadership for America's workforce investment system, including employment and training programs under the Workforce Investment Act and direction and support for the nation's locally driven one-stop delivery system. She also served as the Director for ETA's Business Relations Group and headed the Employment Service.

Prior to joining the U.S Department of Labor, Gay was a senior official for the State of Ohio overseeing workforce programs and unemployment insurance for over ten years. Gay also served as Assistant City Attorney for the City of Columbus, Ohio, and eight years with the West Virginia Department of Human Services.

She has the following degrees:

• Bachelor of Arts, Michigan State University
• Master of Social Work, West Virginia University
• Juris Doctor, Ohio State University

Kim Vitelli (invited)

Deputy Administrator, Office of Workforce Investment, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor

Ms. Vitelli most recently worked as the chief of the Division of National Programs, Tools, and Technical Assistance in the Office of Workforce Investment. In that capacity, she and her division were responsible for the National Farmworker Jobs Program, the Monitor Advocate system, the Disability Employment Initiative, the Senior Community Service Employment Program, Work Opportunity Tax Credits, national electronic tools such as CareerOneStop and O*NET, Labor Market Information grants, and ETA’s technical assistance delivery platform Workforce3one.

While in that position, Kim led the development of the one-stop section of the proposed WIOA regulations. She also supported ETA in other capacities in the past, including overseeing the WIA waiver process and State Plan reviews, managing pilots and demonstrations, and providing technical assistance to the Senate on WIA reauthorization.

John Ladd (invited)

Administrator, Office of Apprenticeship, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor

John Ladd became Administrator of the Office of Apprenticeship in January 2008. As the Administrator, John has responsibility for oversight and activities related to the National Apprenticeship Act as well as the management of OA staff in the National Office, 6 Regional Offices, and numerous field offices across the country.

Prior to his appointment as Administrator, John served as the Deputy Administrator for the Office of National Response and the Director of Regional Management in the Office of Field Operations. John has received numerous awards and honors while at ETA including being selected for the inaugural class of ETA's Excellence in Leadership Program. John also has extensive experience in ETA's Regional Offices having spent a number of years in the Boston Regional Office working with workforce development programs in New England. John first came to the Department of Labor as a Presidential Management Fellow in 1993.

John also has experience at the local level of the public workforce system having worked in Boston, MA, and Stamford, CT.

A native of Boston, MA, Mr. Ladd received his bachelor's degree from Boston University and his Master's in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.